Maybe you're forgetful, completely insane, or part of a clinical trial—whatever the reason, someone needs to know if and when you're taking your medication. The simplest way of keeping track of your swallowing habits? Let the pills tattle.

Folks at the University of Florida have devised a capsule which is coated with a "label embossed with silvery lines" and contains an itty-bitty microchip. The lines on the capsule are actually its antenna and allow it to communicate with a "small electronic device carried or worn by the patient." The device sends a signal to a cellphone, laptop, or similar device to notify whoever's keeping track of the patient's medication intake.

The neat thing is that the pill requires no battery as it receives its power from "imperceptible bursts of extremely low-voltage electricity" sent by the little electronic device which acts as a receiver. Oh, and the microchip and such pass through the gastrointestinal tract at the end. [UFL via Pop Sci]